straddle

verb

Definition of straddlenext
1
as in to perch
to be in or move into a seated or standing position with your legs on either side of (something) She straddled the horse and waited for her riding partner to mount.

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2
as in to span
to be on both sides of (something) The town straddles the river. The movie straddles the line between comedy and drama.

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Dissimilar Words
3
as in to shake
to agree with or seem to agree with two opposite sides of (something) The politician straddled the issue for weeks.

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of straddle The following week, Rahe answered a phone call from Al Ameskamp, the owner of one of the two farms the movie ballfield straddled. — CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026 And as a guy in power armor, Iron Man straddles the line of being a mecha, but his Marvel Tokon design spotlights Gundam and Tekkaman influences. — Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 11 Aug. 2026 Prematurely extending the life of costly fossil fuel power generation in response to rising costs in a market undergoing reforms may straddle Illinois customers with more costs than otherwise necessary. — Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2026 In the world of traffic oddities, one car straddling a bike path median — like a gymnast poised on a balance beam — could be called a fluke. — Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for straddle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for straddle
  1. perch
  2. span
  3. shake
  4. sit
  5. intersect
  6. duck
  7. bestride
  8. comprise
Verb
  • Video captured by security cameras perched on the mountainside show the horrifying moment when the wall of mud descended on the Gyirong Port facility, swallowing the six-story building whole as dozens of people run for their lives.
    — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Start your day with a lakeside walk, then visit Meersburg Castle, the town’s medieval fortress, before heading to the New Castle (Neues Schloss), a Baroque palace perched above the lake, for panoramic views.
    — Sofia Markovich, Travel + Leisure, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of perch
Verb
  • The company, founded in 1995, has grown through a combination of scale and acquisitions, building an operation that spans much of the food supply chain.
    — Brandon Gomez, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Position players would have to stay on the IL for at least one full Monday-to-Monday span, with pitchers spanning two of those stretches.
    — Evan Drellich, New York Times, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of span
Verb
  • Beck didn’t participate in the book, but Riesman finds enough friends, family and associates to assemble a complex portrait of an artist who wants his audiences to see him as fashion-forward but has had a hard time shaking his past.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Thunderous applause may greet one documentary premiering at the Venice Film Festival, fitting for a story of athletes who shake the earth with every footfall.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of shake
Verb
  • My two displays now sit inside a much larger local smart-home project.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The ensuing win stanched the wounds, as names like Mark Cuban and Cooper Flagg sat among the second-largest crowd ever to watch a Wings home game.
    — Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of sit
Verb
  • The style features dazzling dainty straps intersecting across the toes and an ankle strap adorned with lemon and leaf ornaments.
    — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Jackson County Counselor Bryan Covinsky said that a hearing was not required since the transit tax would not intersect with local or state statutes.
    — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of intersect
Verb
  • Store employees are seen ducking for cover as more shots are fired.
    — Aziza Shuler, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Massey apologized and ducked behind a kitchen counter before Grayson fired three times.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of duck
Verb
  • His career essentially bestrides the slow-to-grow Before Times and the apparent soccer paradise of today, which was fortified by remarkable facilities, boosted by an ideal central location and forged by an eagerly welcoming host city that slugged above its weight to make this happen.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2026
  • The Lone Star State is already a literal powerhouse that bestrides domestic energy production.
    — Dallas Morning News, Dallas Morning News, 15 Mar. 2026
Definition of bestride
Verb
  • Silvester envisions his new Q-Class association eventually leading to a global racing circuit, comprising Victoria and Q7’s six remaining slots for new builds.
    — Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 30 Aug. 2026
  • All-in, the equipment weighs almost 500 tonnes and comprises more than 40 shipping containers and several oversized loads.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of comprise

Phrases Containing straddle

Browse Nearby Words

strabismus
straddle
straddled
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Cite this Entry

“Straddle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/straddle. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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